Ball type liquid applicator and closure for same



Feb. 1, 1955 R. F. DE BROCK 2,700,784

BALL TYPE LIQUID AFPLICATOR AND CLOSURE FOR SAME Filed Sept. 2, 1952'I/IIIIA'IIIIII 3mm ROBERT F. DEBROCK United States Patent .0

BALL TYPE LIQUID APPLICATOR AND CLOSURE FOR SAME Robert F. De Brock,Maumee, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporationof Ohio Application September 2, 1952, Serial No. 307,511

2 Claims. (Cl. 132.7)

The present invention relates to improvements in liquid dispensers andapplicators for liquid deodorants and the like, and more particularly tothat type of device wherein a spherical element, or ball, functions asthe dispenser and applicator.

An object of my invention is the provision of novel structure wherebyexceptionally effective scaling is obtained while providing simple andreadily operable dispensing and applying means.

A further object is the provision of novel structure for sealing thecontainer independently of the liquid applicator ball.

It is also an object to provide a readily removable outer cover, whichhas efiective sealing engagement with a ball retaining lip at thedischarge opening.

It is likewise an object of my invention to provide a ball typeapplicator in which the ball is movable axially of a container neckopening and wherein positive sealing of the container may be etfected bymeans wholly independent of such ball.

Further, it is an object of my invention to provide a structure asaforesaid, wherein an outer cover, when used as such, has sealingengagement with an outer retainer for the ball.

Finally, it is an object of my invention to provide in a device of theabove character, an inner ball support which incorporates means forsealing contact both with the neck end and neck interior and which iscapable of axial flexing in response to axial movement of the ballbetween open and closed positions.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of my closure and applicatoraflixed to a container;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of my closure andapplicator, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view illustrating the manner of use asan applicator.

I have illustrated my closure and applicator as used upon a glasscontainer C, having a reduced externally threaded neck 10, providing afilling and discharge opening 11. This neck also has an annular topsealing surface 12.

The general organization of elements includes an inner support 13 forthe spherical element, or ball 14, an outer ball retainer and sealingdevice 15, which is removably attached to the container and holds saidinner support in sealing contact with the sealing surface 12 of thecontainer and a cover 16 which snaps over the outer ball retainer 15 andhas sealing engagement with the ball 14 and adjacent wall of the openingthrough which a portion of the ball projects.

The inner support 13, which is formed of polyethylene, or some materialhaving like characteristics as to softness, pliability and sealingeffectiveness, consists of a collar 17, of such external diameter as tobe received in the container neck opening 11. This collar decreases incrosssection upwardly such that at its lower end there is provided anexternal annular rib 17, which has sealing contact with the inner wallof the neck opening 11. At the upper end of this collar is a radialflange 18, or gasket, which overlies the sealing surface 12. This flangemay be provided with one or more circular beads 19 on its Ice upper sidefor engagement with the retainer 15, which, in addition to functioningas an outer retainer for the ball, serves to firmly press the flange 18,or gasket against the sealing surface 12 and prevent leakage of thefluid contents. The presence of the beads 19 reduces the area offrictional contact between the retainer 15 and the flange 18 and therebyfacilitates attachment of said retainer. The wall of the opening throughthe collar is provided with one, or more discharge channels 21 andbetween these channels is formed with arcuate surfaces 22, whichtogether form a seat for the ball 14.

The combined ball retainer and sealing device 15 includes a circular topportion 23 and a depending internally screw-threaded attaching skirt 24,or flange, for holding engagement with the threaded neck of thecontainer. The top portion 23 is thickened centrally and provided with agenerally frusto-conical axial opening 25, the lower large diameter endbeing of somewhat greater diameter than the ball and the upper end beingof such diameter that it will permit only a small part of the ball toproject outwardly therethrough. Thus an annular lip 26 having arelatively narrow line contact with the applicator ball is provided.This retainer 15 is formed of some relatively hard phenolic resin. Byreason of this narrow line contact, use of a relatively hard materialand axial flexibility of the collar 13 which permits slight separationof the ball from contact with the lip 26, the liquid contents may bedischarged as a thin film incident to rotation of the ball when thecontainer is positioned as in Fig. 4.

The cover 16, which preferably is formed of polyethylene or similarmaterial, consists of a top portion 27 and a skirt 28, the latter havingan internal bead, or rib 29, at its lower end to snap over the bottomend of the skirt of the retainer 15. Thus the cover is held in placesecurely, yet may be removed without difliculty. Centrally andinternally of the top portion is an integral sealing pad 30, recessed toprovide firm contact with the projecting part of the ball and having anannular shoulder 31 which seals against the lip 32 of the dischargeopening in said retainer 15.

it is readily apparent from the foregoing that with the parts positionedas shown in Fig. 1, the container is perfectly sealed at four points,viz, the collar against the inside of the neck, the flange, or gasketupon the top sealing surface of the neck, the ball against the lip ofthe discharge opening and the cover at the lip of the discharge opening.Removal of the cover 16 and inversion of the container followed byrolling contact of the ball with the surface to which the liquid is tobe applied results in discharge and application of the liquid contentsin film form.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described attachable to the neck of acontainer, which neck has an annular rim providing a sealing surface,and an axial bore having a wall merging with a margin of said rim; saiddevice comprising a collar adapted for projection into the bore andformed with an annular external rib adapted for sealing contact with thewall of said bore, said collar having an opening coaxial with the borewhen assembled with the neck, the wall of said opening being providedwith a series of circumferentially spaced channels each of which extendsthe length of said collar, those portions of said wall between thechannels being shaped to provide a ball valve seat facing axiallyoutwardly of the neck when assembled with the latter, a radial flange onsaid collar adapted for sealing contact with the rim of the neck, saidcollar and flange formed of a resilient material, a ball valvepositioned on said seat with portions extending beyond opposite ends ofthe collar, a primary sealing and ball retaining means including a topportion having a wall overlying said radial flange formed with anopening axially aligned with the opening in said collar, an attachingflange on said wall for securing the ball retaining means to the neckwhen assembled with the latter, said axial opening in the walldiminishing in diameter toward its upper end to provide a narrow annularsurface for contact with the ball valve.

2. A device of the character described attachable to the neck of acontainer, which neck has an annular rim pro viding a sealing surface,and an axial bore having a wall merging with a margin of said rim; saiddevice compris-- ing a collar adapted for projection into the bore andformed with an annular external rib adapted for sealing contact with thewall of said bore, said collar having an opening coaxial with the borewhen assembled with the neck, the wall of said opening being providedwith a series of circumferentially spaced channels each of which extendsthe length of said collar, those portions of said wall between thechannels being shaped to provide a ball valve seat facing axiallyoutwardly of the neck when assembled with the latter, a radial flange onsaid collar adapted for sealing contact with the rim of the neck, saidcollar and flange formed of a resilient material, a ball valvepositioned on said seat with portions extending beyond opposite ends ofthe collar, a primary sealing and ball retaining means including a topportion having a wall overlying said radial flange formed with anopening axially aligned with the opening in said collar, an attachingflange on said wall for securing the ball retaining means to the neckwhen assembled with the latter, said axial opening in the walldiminishing in diameter toward its upper end to provide a narrow annularsurface for contact with the ball valve, and a removable closure havingan internal protuberance positioned for sealing contact with the ballvalve and adjacent portions of the ball retaining means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS600,299 Werner Mar. 8, 1898 785,116 Perry Mar. 21, 1905 1,977,414 TestaOct. 16, 1934 2,122,580 Morris July 5, 1938 2,377,117 Watkins May 29,1945 2,409,847 Gregg Oct. 22, 1946 2,641,788 Sudbeaz June 16, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 270,136 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1950

